I Couldn't Be Prouder
by oneresilientheart
Summary: The conversation that followed the scene right after Regina introduced Henry to Robin Hood, after she breaks the curse. They talk about the missing year, Regina's feeling, Robin. Regal Believer.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I always wondered this conversation between them so... total RegalBeliever story I hope you all enjoy it. **

**Prompt – Regina and Henry conversation right after she introduced him to Robin, after the curse was broken.**

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><p>"So… You were right. I do have more family than I can handle." He chuckles and looks at her. She's happy. Well, the proper word would say she's in disbelief. That's what he thinks. He catches her looking at him, but he acts naturally. Her eyes are pained, but much lighter than it used to be. Her eyes are in a constant search for something that is going to go wrong. Something to deceive her.<p>

What she doesn't know is how amazed he is. How natural it is to love her now. How great it feels to call her mom, to know for sure that she loves him. Even more, to know that she loves him, but not only him. She allowed her heart to love.

"I told you, didn't I?" she smiles and holds his hand. "I, for one, have way more family than I can actually handle."

He chuckles at her response. They walk for a while just holding hands. And it is more than Regina ever thought she would have. And it is something that Henry never thought he would live with her.

"Mom?"

She's spaced out enjoying the warmth of his touch and the love that embraces her heart when she's with him. She's called back to the moment by a voice she'd missed so much.

"Yes, Henry?"

"Tell me about the year in the Enchanted Forest?" he surprised her, "How was it to be back?"

"Oh" she's taken aback by the question, because it was a very painful year. And although so much changed, it still is hard to think about the missing year. So she tries to focus on the good moments with Snow, on her catfights with Robin and his annoyance… Things that make her laugh.

"Well… It was different from what I've lived before."

"How different?"

"I gather you're still as curious as you were before." She laughs shyly, because she's amused by her own son. Henry listens to the sound of her laugh and it is a beautiful sound that he hasn't listened in a while.

"Yeah. Am and will always be. I just want to know about you Mom. That's all." His statement is shy but very powerful.

"Alright then. What do you want to know, my little prince?"

"I'm not little, Mom. Not anymore. I do enjoy the royalty title though." She smiles.

"I thought you would."

"Start from the beginning."

"Alright then..." She pauses, faces the landscape in front of them and continues. "As soon as we got there we met Aurora and her prince. And they were as annoying as I'd remembered." She rolls her eyes at the thought but he just smiles. "It felt very weird to be in my royal gowns again and Mary Margaret's long hair unsettled me for a while. I got used to it again later. Well, my own hair was very different... It felt like I was the queen again" She tilts her head. "not the Mayor and certainly not Regina." These last words flowed from her mouth very smoothly, as if she was thinking out loud. It sounded more like a confession and she was a little startled when she realized what she said.

Henry noticed the change on her tone and on her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Henry. I don't... I don't know how to tell you... It's complicated."

"Don't be. Mom, I want to know what was it like to be there again for you. I really want to know what Regina, my mother and the queen, went through and how she felt. I've met the Evil Queen… Actually I didn't. Not fully. When I met her she was more like Stubborn and Petulant than Evil." His words are harder than she thought it would be to listen to.

"For the record, I'm not stubborn. I am just… very determined. And I'm very sorry that you got to know that… side of me. I'll be as honest as I can be, I promise. But I'm not sure if I can share everything."

"Honesty is fair enough for me." He stops walking and she's startled by the sudden stop. She realized she was not paying attention to where she was going. He hugs her tightly and points to a bench. "Do I need to call you Your Majesty now that I'm a prince?" He's teasing her. She gives him the most motherly look she has.

"I'm not your queen Henry. I'm your mother."

"Perfect. Mom. Let's rest a little." They go to the bench and she's very tense to have this conversation with him. What is this conversation after all? She's sharing her life with her son.

She's sitting in a very regal position, but she's absent-mindedly staring at her hands when she starts to speak.

"I struggled a lot going back there... I've fought so hard to become a better person for you and then... I lost you. And everything I had done lost its sense to me. That whole land reminded me of who I was and the things I've done. I felt I was not wanted. Except for Snow." She smiles at her stepdaughter's name. "She was like a sentinel 24 hours observing me, taking care of me, worrying… it was quite obnoxious really. But then again, she is obnoxiously good."

He's looking at her. She quickly glances sideways and then faces forward.

"Snow and I made amends… at least the most we could do of it. But I decided to trust her once more. I believe I forgave her before I'd even realize I did it. And she did the same. Still, she surrounded me with emotions and I don't like that. But she saved me in a very important time."

"What happened?"

"I… It was very hard for me to let you go…" She sighs deeply. "I don't deal very well with pain. And I think I felt very weak to fight…" She looks at him and smiles, a smile he knows too well – it's the one that tells him she's not saying _everything_, she's trying to protect him. "Well, it's fine now, but she just gave me some hope to hold on to. That's what you, Charmings, do best."

"Have you deserted me from my family?"

Her eyes widen in a scared and puzzled way. "Of course not. Why would I do that?"

"Then, I have a very… very Charming blood running through me. But I'm a Mills boy."

She looks so surprised and her eyes say everything. Henry wonders if she knows how transparent she is with her emotions.

"That you are. Will always be. Anyway, Snow was the first one to point out Robin for me. I completely refused the idea because he was excruciatingly annoying there. He was a thief full of pride… And I provoked him a little too. But one day I saved his son from a flying monkey and he honored me by accompanying me in a task… one that I most likely wouldn't come back from… but we were most of the time arguing... I don't know what it was... He just got to my nerves easily. But he was always there if I needed him. We became... We started to..."

"Date, mom. It's called dating."

"Here in Storybrooke. He became a good friend."

"The outlaw and the Queen. Mom, you have to admit that it's hilarious. Your mother would be so proud." He laughs at his own words and she follows him.

"I guess my standards were never too royal. A stable boy and a thief." She's laughing again and he loves the sound of it.

"Mom, I've never seen you like this before." She looks at him with confusion. "I mean… like… happy. Just happy. You were always so tense, and guarded…" She looks down and she's about to answer when he says, "Don't worry. I love you the way you are. I just really love the sound of your laugh. And it's so spontaneous. Is that what… were you… were you like that before you lost Daniel?"

Her son had really grown up. His question is full of meaning and maturity.

"I guess yes. I was a very careless, spontaneous, clumsy girl. I loved horses. I loved riding and that's how I met Daniel. I never wanted to be a queen. That was my mother's plan..." She squeezes his hand and adds, "But, sweetheart, you know I can't be that girl anymore. I've seen, done and felt a lot in my past. I can't go back."

"Oh no! I would never want to have a careless, spontaneous teenager as my mother." He chuckles at her and she just smiles and nods.

"You got a point. Plus, you have Emma to cover that."

"There you are. Regina, my mother."

"Is that so?!" She sends him a challenging look.

"Yes. My sassy, brave, selfless, hot-tempered and loving mother. I always wondered about the Regina that Snow White first met."

"And how exactly do you know that Snow met me when I was a teenager?"

"Oh… Sno… uh, Mary Margaret told me this story."

Regina was a little startled. She thought that Henry didn't know about the beginning of their relationship.

"Did she, really?"

"Yeah. There was a time when I… I was almost giving up on you. I thought you would never love… the right way and… and she told me this story about this woman who taught her that love was the most powerful magic of all. And, that this kind of love created happiness."

Regina's eyes were glimmering and Henry smiled at her.

"She told me that woman was you and that one day you would remember that lesson you taught. She told me I could not let go of my hope. She told me that she did and it did her no good and deep inside she always hoped for that woman to come back again."

"I didn't know you knew that." That's all she says and she's somehow embarrassed even though he doesn't understand why.

"It's a great story, I think I'd like you to tell me your version one day. When you feel ok to tell me about Daniel."

"I... Didn't know you wanted that story. It really is a good story and I'm sure you would like Daniel."

He thinks she wants to cry but she puts on her regal mask, although her eyes betray her as always.

"About Snow...Snow and I were just part of a greater plan of my mother's. We were also part of the Imp's plans to get to his son… But, I understood that it was not Snow's fault. Nothing was her fault. Unfortunately it was too late and I had done too much damage." Her eyes become darker and Henry never thought she would tell him so much. "But you know your insufferable family and how they don't give up and stubbornly love each other… So we became friends."

"I'm so proud of you. And I'm happy you're not that naïve Regina. I prefer you now. You made your own destiny mom. I hope – for his own sake – that Robin Hood is a great man… He kinda is in the book and the movie but… you fairytale characters have your own twist in real life " she's smiling " Because you are the best. And right now I don't know what I would do if someone hurts you."

She feels a tear roll down her cheek.

"I love you, Henry, more than I will ever be able to show. Don't you worry about Robin, he's a very good man. It is really good to have my little prince back." She puts her arm around her grown up son and cuddled him.

He relaxes at her embrace and says, "Mom, thank you for telling me these things. I never thought this day would ever come. But it was better than I could possible have imagined."

"You're welcome, Henry. I promised you the truth and I will do my very best to always give you that. But if one day I falter you with that is only to protect you, okay?"

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too. And thank you for believing in me."


	2. Chapter 2

Their second time Henry asked about the days that he was unaware that his mother was so close to him, happened on a Friday evening. He came home after school and found his mother with furrowed eyes reading her mother's book. She was on her most mayoral suit, sensitive pants and silk shirt. She's so focused on whatever it is she's reading that she doesn't hear him coming in.

But then again, she's reading about magic. And, magic became a whole new business to her after she discovered she could possess, she possesses light magic. She's clearly intrigued with something. He thinks that she's still surprise she had that in her.

He doesn't want to startle her - she's not good at reacting to surprises - but he's curious too and he's way too close to her now. He's standing right behind her and he peeks on her. She's reading about q forgetting potion... He's to evolved by her reading and the words come out loud faster than he realizes.

"A forgetting potion?" His hand flies to his mouth to try to shut it but it was too late.

Regina jumped on the couch and normally she would lit a fireball. But his voice is too familiar to her years and she will never react like that with him. So, she jumps a little and her hands push the book closed making a loud noise. She turns quickly to face him.

He just looks at her and he's a little scared. Not of her. But he's scared of the fact that he was sneaking on her and he didn't mean to get caught. She looks at him and there they are, her emotions. Really, why does she try to hide them? He can see right through her, her eyes say it all without her noticing.

Her eyes are nervous, they have fear inside them. Fear of what? Then, she's searching his face and he can see she's a little bit ashamed he caught her reading magic. Then, he remembers how he's asked her not to use it in the past. But this is different now, doesn't she know it?!

"Henry. What are you doing..." She snaps at him and when she notices her eyes become sad. "I'm sorry. I meant to say that I didn't hear you arriving... How long have you been here?"

"Hi mom. I got home and you were so concentrated that I didn't know if I should... So I just got closer and... I didn't mean to startle you."

She pats the seat beside her for him to get closer.

"It's ok sweetheart." She places the book on her other side, out of his reach. "How was school today?"

"Mom, don't try to fool me" his eyes are teasing her but she sees he's a little scared too. "Why were you reading about a forgetting potion?"

"Henry it's very impolite to sneak on someone." And there it is her motherly look on him.

"Why do you need it mom? I thought you knew this potion anyways."

"Let's say that I have a past that one wouldn't like to remember."

"But that changed you into what you are."

"True. But the fact that I have light magic doesn't mean I don't have darkness inside of me, Henry. I thought that maybe if I forgot about some things... Mainly bad things my mother did and all the devastation I caused... I thought that maybe it would be easier to..."

"Love? That never kept you from loving me."

"You're right, my wise little..." He eyes her "not little prince. And this is not a topic we should discuss."

"Yeah, right. Are you ok?"

Her hand was gently brought to her temple and it was massaging it. She motioned so unconsciously, it became more and more common. Headaches. Sometimes dizziness.

"Oh yes. It's just a headache."

"Really?" He's looking for the truth. He saw his mom being hit pretty hard twice, both times she fell unconscious. He also heard about the showdown. She never talks about it, except for when she admitted she wouldn't survive another fight with Zelena...

Her eyes closed for an instant.

"Does it have any relation to your active fighting life? You got pretty hardcore hits on your head."

She opens her eyes and ponders if she should be honest or not. She promised him she wouldn't lie, but he doesn't have to worry about her.

"Well, I do fight a lot, isn't it?! And yes, Henry, the headaches intensified after Zelena. But... you don't need to worry. They are just headaches."

"They seem painful." He thinks it's funny that she looks so surprised he noticed so much. He's already worries about her. She's not used to that.

He waits a little because he can see she's in pain. That scares him because he saw her being thrown on a wall and come out of it okay. If she's showing that she's in pain, he know it's a lot of pain. So he takes advantage of the situation, she's a little off while she's rubbing her temple and he noticed that at some point she grabbed the edge of the couch and held it until her knuckles were white.

"Have you been feeling anything else?"

She fell for it. Because he learned that his mother has a gullible side, specially towards him.

"Ye..." She opens her eyes as if she remembered who she's talking to. "Henry." He only smiles at her.

"What is it mom?"

"Nothing. It's nothing, Henry."

He likes how his name sounds when she says it. "You're lying. You promised me the truth."

She's hurt by the reminder. She sighs and her shoulders fall a little lower.

That's when he notices how small she is, and how tired she looks. It's just for a moment but he saw it.

"Dizziness, sometimes. I lost conscious twice when I was at home. Sometimes the headaches are migraines." Her voice is hoarse now and he thinks the confession is more painful and the actual headaches. She thinks she's being weak in front of him.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"It's nothing. It will pass soon. Plus, I don't want to see this look on your face. Don't worry about me."

"I worry anyways mom. Mainly because I know you're not made of steel and that you don't tell me when you're suffering."

"I... I am your mother not the opposite."

"Can I tell Mary Margaret? She's been wondering the fact that you got out of the fights sort of okay. She worries too."

"Please don't. I can't handle Mary Margaret smothering me right now. If it becomes worse I'll talk to her."

She smiles then to re-affirm everything is fine. He's not convinced.

She surrenders.

"I think I should rest a little..."

"What are you feeling now?"

"I think I'm getting a migraine... Maybe you should go to the UnCharmings, just for tonight..."

"No!"

"Henry, please. You can tell Mary Margaret. But I will be sleeping all the time, there's no need for you to be here. She will come... I'm positive she will come to check on me. Though I dislike the idea."

"What if I..."

"What if you help me upstairs? That's very helpful, I think the dizziness is taking over. Then, you'll go to your grandparents. Do we have a deal?"

"No we don't. But I don't think I have a choice here."

She stands up trying to balance herself with a hand on the couch. He's right beside her with one arm around her waist.

"Thank you, sir" And she says it on her most regal tone... She's trying to make him feel better. She can't.

"You're welcome, mom."

He takes her to her bedroom helps her to lie down and pull the cover on her. Then, he presses a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"When are you going to let me take care of you?"

Her eyes are closed but she's still awake.

"Thank you, my little prince."

She adjusts herself under the cover. He smiles. He stays there for a whole until he's sure she fell asleep. Then he calls Mary Margaret.

His grandparents come over to pick him up but Mary Margaret decides to stay with Neal for when she wakes up. Henry likes the idea. He leaves with David, maybe another driving lesson would do him good. But his heart is at home with her.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **_This was a prompt from **Fangirl308**: _A while back, you mentioned that I should suggest any other conversations I would like to see Henry and Regina have if I could think of any. I would really like to see them talk about the events of the first season, when Henry first became aware of the curse, and his mother explicitly denied everything, tried to make him think he was crazy, and sent him to a therapist. It must have been awful for Henry to read that book which features Regina scheming and torturing and killing everyone in her path, and to know that awful woman is none other than his own mother, and then to have her constantly lying to him about it. It's just something I've been thinking about

_So this is for you Fangirl308, I think I got a little to excited about it and I didn't have the time to edit it or beta it. I hope you like it._

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><p>So here he is, in her vault. They've been working on Operation Mongoose for couple of hours but all he could think of was "how to start this."<p>

Regina knows her son too well. He's been agitated and often avoided her gaze. There's something wrong and she knows it. He becomes agitated and very pensive and when he's like that he's scrutinizing the pages of the book furrowing his brows…

"Henry" she's sitting on a wooden chest and he's on the floor. His eyes rise to meet hers. "Sweetheart, are you alright? You seem quiet-"

"I'm fine."

She chuckles because this and other situations make her notice the resemblance between them. She's used this answer – she uses it- some many times, she knows exactly what happens if she pushes him from this point on.

"I'm sure you're aware that you learned this answer from me, isn't that right?" She stands and walks towards him, kneels in front of him and cautiously places a finger under his chin. "What's behind the 'I'm fine' composure? Talk to me."

He averts his eyes and that's what gives in that she's the problem.

"Henry, you can talk to me. What's the problem?"

"Mom… I can't… I love you. I really do." He pushed her hand away gently but the motion still hurt her deeply. She knew this day would come.

"Of course I do. I love you too, Henry."

He stands up then and walks to a wall full of potions and empty bottles. She follows him with her eyes and stands, taking a deep breath because she knows she will need it.

"Mom, why did you do it?"

"Do what? The curse?"

"No." He turns and his eyes are full of anger and again she can see herself on him. "Why did you lie to me all of those years? Why did you make me think I was crazy? Why did you keep me from all of this?"

She gasps and places one hand on the wall behind her.

"I-"

"It 's this book. I keep reading it and there are all of these stories of you. And then when Emma came to Storybrooke you did… you…" He's angry and passionate while he's speaking and it all comes to Regina as arrows being shot through her body. "You killed Graham and tried to kill Emma… And I was trying so hard to have a family and to save everyone… but you still kept doing those evil things"

He barely looks at her and his words are coming out too fast for even her to follow.

Her son, her little prince realizes what she really is and there's no way back now.

"I remember hating you. And then I find out about Robin Hood and how you had the chance of falling in love again… of not being evil."

She's holding tight on… she doesn't even know what it is. She knows she's loosing him again.

"It just makes me so upset to know that I could've had what we are now all of this time but you chose differently all of those years." He's pacing the floor and he doesn't see how his mother is loosing balance, or when later she hugs herself. "I just can't… I don't understand."

She can't wait for him to finish she needs to leave.

"Henry" he doesn't look at her, he's too infuriated pacing the floor, "I'm…"

Her voice is broken and he comes to the realization of the things he said, but it's too late, her eyes are glimmering and there are tears on her face.

"I'm so sorry Henry." Then she leaves as fast as she can. And, it is a little irresponsible of her to leave him in her vault but she can't really process anything right now.

"_you just kept doing those evil things… I remember hating you"_

The words keep echoing on her mind.

"Mom…" he tumbles to the floor. He knew he would loose it if he started to talk about those things. Why did he then?

He ran upstairs but it was too late, she was gone. She was heartbroken by the one person she never expected to.

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><p>Snow hears a hard knock on the door and surely enough it wakes baby Neal. She wonders if she should get a bigger house.<p>

"Henry…-" He's been clearly crying and he's panting. "Is everything alright?"

"Have you seen my mom?"

"Em-"

"No, Regina."

"No, what happened?" He's too distressed, "Come on in."

"I hurt her, grandma. I… I was mad… and confused. I just… I didn't know how to say…"

"Henry, you're not making sense. Tell me what happened, breath. I'm sure Regina will be ok."

"We… we're working on a special operation and we've been dealing with The book a lot… and it just makes me think of those days when she was so evil… so I asked… I said some things about those days…"

"I'm sure you didn't mean to hurt her-"

"I did… I just got so angry and-"

"And you did what your mother does: storm out. You're really her son, did you know that?"

"It's just so hard to know the things she's done and what she was…"

"She was a lot of things, Henry. She's done a lot of things, including hunting me down. But she was also the woman who taught me the two most important lessons of my life: _Love is the most powerful magic of them all_ and _that the only way to overcome fear is facing it_. These two lessons helped me to survive every single day."

"I know…" He looks at snow with deep eyes pleading for help.

"She's a strong and wonderful woman, this woman is your mother Henry." She grabs his hands and gives him a reassuring smile. "You'll find her, then listen to what she has to say. You have the best tool on your side, her love for you, which is deeper than any of us can imagine. Regina feels with her whole soul, you can always count on that."

He leaves his grandparents' house towards the mansion.

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><p>He gets in and the house is quiet. He finds her sitting on his bed holding a handcrafted piece of clay with his hand imprinted on it and his name.<p>

He stops by the door. His mother seems so small and fragile now.

"Mom" his shoulders succumb, she doesn't look at him, "I'm so sorry."

He waits for a sign, a beckoning motion so he can run to her. But, all she does is make some space for him to sit beside her then she speaks with what would be the saddest tone he's ever heard from her.

"Do you remember when you gave me this?"

He sits but he's not sure what to do right now.

"Yes. It was a school project for Mother's Day."

"It's one of the two best gifts I've ever gotten."

She places the piece of clay on her side. She shifts her position to face him and looks deeply into his eyes. They're honest and guilt, so she smiles at him and places one hand on his lap.

"Have I ever told you the story of how I adopted you?"

"I don't think so."

"Is it in the book?"

"No."

"Good." She softly smiles at him. She starts telling the story and her voice is so soothing to him. "Right before I cast the curse I visited the imp in his cell, from all the things he told me, one hit me. He said I would feel a void and when that happened I would look for him. I didn't understand is properly because I was pure evil back then and my whole heart was a void."

He's listening carefully.

"Storybrooke was different. I was just Regina, being a mayor was very different form being the queen. I didn't need to hunt down anyone or do whatever I used to. I didn't need magic either. But the time came when I realized what the void he spoke about meant. I went to Dr. Hopper."

"You used to visit him too?!"

"Yes, eventually when I felt like. But I talked to him and he asked me when did I felt different from what I was feeling at the moment. That would be when Owen visited the city with his father. He was just a kid and there were no judgments while he talked to me, no expectations and most importantly honesty. So, the grasshopper told that a child would be a good solution. I've considered the idea and went to the imp again."

She looks around in the bedroom as if remembering something.

"He sent me to the agency to get you. He told he made arrangements and well it was quite easy to adopt, a close adoption it was. I had no idea who your mother was." There's a small emphasis on this information.

"Your first week with me was one of the hardest of my life. You see, children are very sensible to feelings, to love; they love unconditionally and are loved in return. I was overwhelmed with fear and I haven't had a glimpse of love in my life for years until that week. Certain enough you only cried with me. All day long except when you were sleeping."

She chuckles thinking about those days. They're funny memories now.

"Granny told me to tell you stories so you could get used to my voice."

"It really is very soothing."

She sends him a puzzled look.

"You voice, I mean. I really like it."

She cups his face and continues.

"Anyway, the stories helped very little. But one day I was trying to work at home and you were crying non-stop and I didn't know what to do, I thought you were sick and I asked Sidney to find the file on your mother in case she had a weird disease… But this day was a very difficult day and at one point I picked you up and begged for you to give me a chance. It was the first time you looked me in the eyes as if you understood what I was saying, and I was crying and that was a very honest moment between us. You stopped crying after that. That was the first time I really felt as your mother."

He smiled. "It seems I was a piece of work."

"Always has been… perfect. Sidney called me immediately after this moment telling me he found the file. With the file I saw you mother's birthday and the date was relevant enough for me to panic. I didn't know who she was but I knew she was important, specially because Rumple was the one to lead me to you."

Her eyes become very sad now and the following words come out as a confession.

"I decided to give you back to the agency." He's staring at her but right now she can't look him in the eye. "I was there about to sign up the papers when the agent gave me a moment with you to say goodbye. You were on my arms and I promised you that you deserved something better than me. But all I could see was a selfless love, you gave me a chance and giving you up would be… a betrayal to you. At that moment I realized that I loved you."

A tear falls down his face and she gently rubs her thumb on his cheek to clean it.

"But I was fearful of what Rumple's plans were, of who your birth mother was. And I took a memory potion to forget about my fears, to forget about her. I really didn't know her importance when she came to Storybrooke. But I knew you were my chance to be just Regina, to love again."

"I'm sorry mo-"

"It's okay. As I told you that day on the staircase, I didn't know how to love very well… but you… you helped me to remember. You always had the best of me, Henry, even if it's hard to believe me. But you taught me how to love again, you made me realize what my magic was doing to me, you made me make selfless decisions for your own happiness, you led me to pursue my happiness, to accept the family I have… I'm the evil queen. I'll always be because we can't erase what I've done."

She breathes deeply and takes the courage to sustain to look him in the eyes when she says the next words.

"You had my best, but when you're evil your best is not necessarily _the best_. But evil isn't born; it's made and so is good. We could never have what we have now back then because I needed you to become what I'm now. I understand that it is very conflicting. I never meant to hurt you, but I didn't know how to keep you close to me, how to make you love me again as you loved me the day you stopped crying. I'm sorry, Henry, maybe you'll never forgive me for what I've done."

Her eyes become sadder with the confession.

"I understand, I just need you to know that I love you and I've proven it in every single way that I'm capable of. We had a lot of bad moments… but… we also had our special moments the I hope you'll remember."

"Mom…"

He hugs her and she's a little startled, but the kids is a Charming too, he's a hugger. So she holds him tightly and he's crying.

"Mom, I didn't mean to hurt you or judge you… I-I just got so angry and…"

"And anger is a problem for the Mills as much as hope is for the Charmings." She smiles widely and cups his face with both her hands so he can look at her.

"Henry, nothing will make me stop loving you. You're my little prince, I chose you."

"Mary Margaret was right."

"About what?"

"You love deeper than we can understand."

"Did she say that?"

"Yes."

He pauses a little, breathing, thinking then he says.

"We really need to find that writer. I need to know about your other stories."

"Well, that's easy to solve. You heard all of them when you were a baby. I can tell you again."

With that they stay on his bed, he lays down on her lap and she is playing with his messy hair while telling him about the grandfather he is named after.

-Fin


End file.
